Jeollanamdo Europe Office

Representative Office of Jeollanamdo Provincial Government of South Korea

Tag: seaweed

Wando County accelerates its plan to create a “sea pension” using seaweed-derived blue carbon

Posted by on in 2025Leave a comment

Wando County in South Jeolla Province is accelerating the implementation of its “Wando-type Ocean Pension” project, which returns profits from carbon trading generated through seaweed-based blue carbon to local residents. Momentum for this initiative has increased following the agreement at the 63rd Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meeting in Lima, Peru last October, where guidelines were adopted recognizing seaweed as a new carbon sink. Once seaweed is officially confirmed as a carbon sink, the project is expected to not only support national greenhouse gas reduction goals and contribute to the government’s 2050 carbon neutrality policy but also generate significant positive economic impacts for the local community.


Wando County Leads Blue Carbon Industrialization

  • Largest seaweed producer in Korea, contributing over 50% of national output
  • Pioneering blue carbon industrialization
  • Pristine marine environment has attracted ongoing collaborations with global organizations like the World Bank and WWF


Toward a Global Seaweed Blue Carbon Hub

The military is currently collaborating with the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency (KFRA) on a “Blue Credit Pilot Project,” which converts carbon absorbed by fishermen through aquaculture and management activities into tradable credits, thereby providing an additional source of income. In partnership with private companies, including Hyosung Group and Korea Electric Power Corporation, the military is also implementing a sea forest creation project to expand the habitat of seagrass, a type of blue carbon recognized as biomass. Looking ahead, the military aims to strengthen its policy and technology network with the government, research institutes, and private companies by establishing a dedicated task force and a carbon absorption belt council, with the ultimate goal of becoming a “global seaweed blue carbon hub”.

Collaboration Between Wando and NASA to Promote Sustainable Seaweed Economy and Climate Action

Posted by on in 2024, AllgemeinLeave a comment

The coastal region of Wando in South Korea, the largest producer of seaweed such as nori, wakame, and kelp, is partnering with NASA to advance the role of seaweed in addressing the climate crisis and achieving carbon neutrality. Wando accounts for 50% of the nation’s seaweed production and has gained international recognition for its sustainable cultivation methods, which require no freshwater or fertilizers.

The collaboration began in 2021 when NASA released satellite images of Wando’s aquaculture sites, highlighting the region’s ideal conditions for seaweed farming and attracting global attention. NASA also emphasized seaweed’s environmental benefits as a carbon sink. The cultural significance of seaweed in Korea, such as its use in postpartum recovery and as a traditional birthday dish, was also noted.

During an upcoming visit, Wando Mayor Shin Woo-cheol will meet with NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E to discuss the development of offshore aquaculture systems and the international certification of seaweed as a blue carbon resource. In 2022, Wando had already expressed gratitude to NASA for promoting Korean seaweed through their analysis and satellite imagery, proposing closer collaboration.

The planned projects aim to advance the marine bioindustry, establish seaweed as a globally recognized carbon-absorbing resource, and encourage sustainable methods in the international aquaculture sector. This partnership has the potential to position Wando as a global leader in sustainable seaweed production.

A view of the aquaculture farms in Wando, Jeollanam-do
Kelp produced in Wando, Jeollanam-do, is being transported to the port for shipment. Newsis.
Shin Woo-cheol, the mayor of Wando, Jeollanam-do, is presenting a plaque of appreciation to Meredith McKay, Deputy Director of NASA, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul on November 6, 2023. Newsis.